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The Stetson volleyball team returns home this weekend for a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference matches at the Edmunds Center. The Hatters (4-22, 0-9 A-Sun) will host Kennesaw State (15-10, 4-6 A-Sun) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Mercer (8-12, 4-6 A-Sun) on Saturday at 3 p.m.

After playing everyone in the A-Sun once, the Hatters head into the second half of the league’s double round-robin play still seeking their first conference victory. Stetson trails both Mercer and Kennesaw by three games in the loss column.

"We are entering the second half of our season and now more than ever is when we need to perform," junior Kaley Melville said. "There is definitely still a chance to make a run to the A-Sun tournament, but we have to get on the board this weekend."

Starting with this weekend's matches, the Hatters will play five of their remaining nine regular season matches at home.

"I'm hoping for a big crowd because we seem to play better when we have support from the stands," Melville said. "I must say the other athletes here at Stetson are extremely supportive and we love to see them at our games. We love the support and I can't wait to see everyone come out this weekend."

Ticket InformationGeneral Admission tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for seniors and non-Stetson students. All Stetson home events are free to Stetson students, faculty, and staff with a Stetson University ID. For more information call (386) 822-8110.

On the WebLive video for both matches will be available on HatterVision. Ryan Rouse (Friday) and Jeff Sharon (Saturday) will call the play-by-play. Live stats for both matches will be available on GoHatters.com.

Fans can also get in-game twitter updates of Stetson volleyball matches all season long by following @StetsonVB from your twitter account. Postgame recaps and statistics will be available on the Stetson Athletics website at GoHatters.com.

Introducing Hat-AlertsThe Stetson University Department of Athletics has teamed up with TextCaster to launch a new text messaging communications service called "Hat-Alerts."

A new way for fans to get immediate updates on their favorite Hatter teams, Hat-Alerts is a free service that sends text messages right to people's cell phones. Hat-Alerts will broadcast score updates, athletics news, ticket information, promotions, and even weather delays.

For volleyball, fans can choose either "scores" (scores sent at intermission and final), and/or "news" (headlines for volleyball news releases).

Passionately Pink in OctoberIn honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Stetson University volleyball team has teamed with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to support its Passionately Pink For the Cure initiative throughout the month of October, culminating with the Hatters' Oct. 30 match against North Florida. Fans can make donations by visiting www.GoHatters.com and clicking the "Passionately Pink 2012" link on the volleyball home page.

A-Sun Statistical RankingsJunior Ellen Hawks ranks second in the A-Sun in total blocks (86) and fourth in blocks/set (0.91). Senior Monique Russell ranks sixth in the league in digs per set (4.16).

Hawks Among All-Time Stetson Blocking LeadersEllen Hawks has 250 career blocks, the most among all active players in the Atlantic Sun. She also holds the Stetson school record for career blocks during the rally-scoring era (since 2001).

Russell Approaching Single-Season and Career RecordsAfter Monique Russell likely plays in her 109th and 110th matches this weekend, she will have played more matches than any other Hatter since 1992, when the “matches played” statistic was first tracked. She will also have the most "sets played" in a career since 1992, as she currently trails Kaylee Ream (2008-11) by one set and Tanya Row (1993-96) by just three sets.

Russell is also just 60 digs shy of setting the all-time single-season digs record at Stetson.

Milestones for MelvilleKaley Melville needs three kills for 800 in her career and 13 kills to set a new personal season-high. She is also 25 digs shy of 800 in her career.

Double-DoublesKaley Melville and Kelli Carneal have each recorded eight double-doubles this season and Cailyn Prewitt and Kayla Weller have one double-double each.

Freshmen StartingThe Hatter freshmen have combined to make 52 starts this season, exactly 1/3 of the team’s total for matches started. Here is a list of the number of matches started for Hatter freshmen:Kayla Weller – 18Cailyn Prewitt – 14Morgan Pautch – 13Alexa Drost – 5Evann Dickerson – 2

Up Next Stetson plays two road matches next week – at Jacksonville on Tuesday and at Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday.